While much attention is drawn to the detrimental impact of violent video games on children’s developing brains, there has been relatively little discussion regarding the negative effects of news and current affairs to which children are exposed. When people consume news and current affairs, it’s hard to escape tragic events, from natural disasters, acts of terrorism, and events that include loss of human life. But do we stop to consider what distressing media is doing to our kids? How children are impacted Research undertaken by the Audience Research Department of the Netherlands Broadcasting Corporation found young children who are exposed to violent news and current affair programs can be impacted so much that they start viewing the world as a scary place. Research was undertaken through random telephone interviews with 537 Dutch children, with 48.2 percent of respondents stating they fear watching adult news. The study found children aged between 7-12 were most frightened by interpersonal violence and natural disasters such as fires, accidents and other disasters. Researchers from the study even found children’s symptoms are like trauma response — including intruding thoughts (memories that pop into a child’s head, nightmares, repeated discussion around events), avoidance (refusal to talk about news events, or to participate in school activities) and changes to arousal and reactivity (increased irritability and anger outbursts, difficulties in concentrating). Even subtle exposure needs to be monitored Even when children are playing in the background, if adults have the news on, they could be listening in. Children under the age of seven might not understand the content, which can cause confusion, worry and anxiety. This is because children under age seven don’t have brain maturity to mentally filter information, and can’t see things from another point of view. Older teens, meanwhile, generally acquire much of their news content from the internet and social media. Therefore most parents are not aware of how much, or what, they are exposed to. However, due to their age, they tend to have greater understanding of different perspectives. Getting the balance right According to psychological therapist Annie Gurton, different age groups require differing nurturing strategies when it comes to consuming news and current affairs: Children under age seven may perceive televised events as live occurrences, leading them to believe traumatic incidents are recurring when they see repeated broadcasts. They are likely to be greatly disturbed by images depicting suffering, crying, or violence Between age 7-12, children tend to grasp that news reports convey events that have already taken place. They are capable of empathising with victims, and may get anxious about their own safety and of their family when encountering distressing stories Teenagers aged 13 and older tend to exhibit heightened emotional responses to distressing events, often experiencing fear and deep concern for their and their family’s safety. They may project such events into the future and worry about potential risks. However, they are also capable of reasoning and understanding statistical explanations, which can provide reassurance and alleviate their anxieties. There is no…
